Method for making anchors



April 7, 1953 s. DANFORTH 2,633,626

METHOD FOR MAKING ANcHoRs Filed May 18, 1950 N VEN TOR.l

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE METHOD FOR MAKING ANCHORS i Richard S. Danforth, Berkeley, Calif., assignor to Robert H. Eckho, Piedmont, Calif., as trustee Application May 18, 1950, Serial N o. 162,725

.. v 1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to an improved method for making an anchor of the type shown in my Patents 2,249,546 of July 15, 1941, and 2,320,966 of June 1, 1943. Such an anchor generally includes a shank with twin flukes generally mounted at one end of the shank and arranged to swing through a limited angle on either side of the shank. A stockis usually provided at either the forward end of the shank or at the after 'end 'of the anchor.

As compared to anchors known heretofore, the anchors manufactured in accordance with my aforementioned patents provided vastly increased holding power `as well as many operational advantages and improvements. For example, as is reported in Patent 2,249,546, a 29- pound anchor of the construction disclosed in that patent held in excess of 6,000 pounds in hard sand, or better than 200 pounds per pound of anchor weight as compared to 2 pounds per pound of anchor weight for a conventional stockless anchor in the same bottom; in addition, my anchor engaged bottom readily when a pull was applied, the anchor assuming its proper operational position so that continued pull urged the anchor downwardly until the anchor wasfirmly engaged and remained practically stationary against further pull; the anchor did not rotate under continued pull, that is, it was stable and continued its engagement, as compared to prior anchor structures of the same general type which frequently turned repeatedly about the shank as a central axis until finally the anchor freed itself from engagement with the bottom.

The principal load carrying members of an anchor are the shank and the fluke arm; both these may be likened in stress to the action of a cantilever beam. It has been heretofore established that the holding forces of similar anchors similarly disposed to the surface of a given sea bed are in proportion to the cubes of the characteristic lineal dimensions of the anchors such as the shank length. It should be understood, however, that there are many variable features in anchor design which may affect the penetration of an anchor and thereby affect parts, that is, the stock, shank and flukes, by

casting these in suitable molds in accordance with usual foundry practice. This type of construction, while satisfactory, is relatively slow and is comparatively expensive. Another alternative is to form the several parts as by forging, rolling or stamping, subsequently welding or riveting the individual component elements together. While this type of construction is generally more rapid than the usual foundry practice, it is relatively expensive and is not suited to the production of a relatively great number of anchors at low unit cost. I have now found that it is possible to form the anchor of standard metal structural elements or from metal sheets, particularly the fluke portions of the anchor so that a complete anchor can be readily assembled by a few relatively simple welding operations.

The broad object of this invention is to provide a new and improved process for construction of anchors of the type shown in my aforementioned patents.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof, Figures 1 and 2 are each diagrammatic views showing the methods used in fabrication of the flukes.

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating a step in the manufacture of the nukes.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a complete anchor.

Figure 5 is a View along the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

In accordance with this invention, the twin iiukes unit 9 is provided by cutting the unit from an I-beam 3l having anges 32 joined by a web 33, as appears in Figures 1 and 2, wherein I have shown diagrammatically three fluke units 6a, 9b and 9c laid out on a length of the beam.

The beam can be standard structural element having two anges joined by a web, or a T or similar section or one especially rolled to provide a section of the desired shape and material. By utilizing such an element, one is able to fabricate the fluke unit by suitable cutting operation and to form the unit from a metal of suitable strength to provide a structure having a desired strength per unit of weight. In the larger size anchors, the width of web portion 36 usually does not admit of the layout of two fluke units opposite one another, as I have shown in my Patent No. 2,510,867, and here I have shown them staggered along the beam with the angular edge of a nuke in one unit falling against an edge of a nuke in another unit.

To fashion fluke unit 9a, 9b and 9c, as in Figure l, the anges and web of the beam are out along line 42 at an acute angle to form ends on two of the pairs of twin nuke units, particularly thoseindicated at 9b and 9c. The flanges and the web are then cut along a second line 4l which is parallel to the flrst line 42 to provide ends on two others of the pairs of twin fluke units, particularly those indicated at 9a and 9b. The flanges and web are then cut along a third line 40 which line, if projected, would intersect a projection of line 4I on one side of the beam and line 42 on the other side of the beam. The web portion and a portion of one flange are cut away as at 34 and theY flange isV then bent as at 3S until the lukes I4 are in the same plane and extend in the same direction from the bent portion 36. The flanges 32 are preferably tapered as appears in Figure 5 toward the fluke points and the edges of the flukes are sharpened so the flukes easily penetrate bottom. `When the beam is wider than the flukesgaprtin 39 (if the beam beyond the fluke should be out away, as is indicated in Figure 2.

In that form of anchor shown in liigures 4 and 5, the stock 52 is provided by a le'gth of rod or tubing and the ilukes are fashionedl as has been described. The *crown* construction utilied is such `that Vthe swing of the shank ID relative to the flukes isliinited by the aperture 23 formed in each plate I5, the plates being held in a spaced relatin by spacers 22.

Th form of anchor disclosed ischaracterized by a relatively .high strength and simplicity in the manufacturing operations, ar few siin'ple welds suicing to jin the several vparts together. For example, the stock is inserted in place and welds are then made between the rear edges ofthe flukes and the stock to 4s'eeu're the stock in place. With the stock supported in the crown and joined to the fluke edges, each projecting unsupprted end of the stock becomes a sh'r't eatilever bear'n of relatively great strength. This enables 'a lighter stock to be utilized.

This application is a continuation-impart of my application Serial No. 696,001, Yfiled September 10, 1946, entitled Anchor.

I claim:

A method of making a twin fluke unit of an anchor from an I-beam structural member having a web and a rst and a second flange extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the web, the method consisting in the steps of cutting each flange and the web of the I-beam along a first line at a first acute angle to the first ange to form one end on said' twin fluke unit, cutting each flange and the web of the I=beam along a second line at a second acute angle to the rst flange to form the other end on said twin fluke unit, said rst and second acute angles being substantially equal, the rst line and the second line intersecting one another outside `the web area on that side of the beam 'adjacent the second ange, cutting away a portion of the web and the second flange intermediate said lines to form the separate flukes of said unit, then bending that portion of` the first flange cnriectng'sad 'separate fluxes into a` position wherein therlrst flange is substantially of a U-shape with the opposite legs 'of such LI substantially .parallel and adaeent to one another and wherein the flukes extend outwaidly from sueh U-shaped ange', tapering the flanges toward the nuke 'points' and Vsha'rl'ieii'irxg the ukes. Y f Y RCI-IARD S. DANFOR'I.

aerea-Esens 'circo The` following references are o record in the file of this patent: 

